Gizmorama!

Gizmorama -
“The Cutting Edge of Science Fact and Science Possibilities”
————————————————————
Good Morning,

Here’s hoping you all had a very relaxing and enjoyable
Holiday….Now on with today’s Gizmo.

Until Tomorrow,
Erin

————————————————————

        Researchers predict vaccine’s immunity

U.S. researchers say they’ve discovered a way to pre-
dict how successful vaccines would be in triggering
immune responses. In the first-ever study, researchers
at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center and Emory
Vaccine Center at Emory University said they used immun-
ology, genomics and bioinformatics to predict a vac-
cine’s immunity without exposing individuals to infec-
tion — a long-standing challenge in the development of
vaccines. The team, using the yellow fever vaccine as a
model, wanted to determine why the vaccine — one of the
most successful vaccines ever — was so effective so
they could design equally effective new vaccines against
global pandemics and emerging infections, the Atlanta
university said in a news release. “A single shot of
the (yellow fever) vaccine induces immunity in many
people for nearly 30 years,” said Bali Pulendran, lead
Yerkes researcher and professor in the Department of
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Emory University
School of Medicine. “Despite the great success of the
yellow fever vaccine, little has been known about the
immunological mechanisms that make it effective.”
Pulendran said the team, using several lines of study,
identified distinct gene signatures that were correlated
to the antibody response induced by the vaccine. To de-
termine whether the gene could predict immune response,
“we vaccinated a second group of individuals and were
able to predict with up to 90 percent accuracy which of
the vaccinated individuals would develop” immunity to
yellow fever.

————————————————————
STEALTH S.S.A. HEARING AMPLIFIER

Retail Price: $39.99
Deal Price: $29.99
Get Two for $59.98

Stealth S.S.A.(r) is the original sound amplifier cleverly
disguised as an expensive cell phone ear piece! The light-
weight and compact design of our Stealth S.S.A.(r) makes it
comfortable to wear during your normal, daily routine. It
has a soft foam handle that fits snuggly over the ear; so
comfortable you may even forget you’re wearing it!

The Stealth S.S.A.(r) includes Lifetime Rechargeable Lithium
Batteries and UL listed charger so you can feel secure that
the Stealth S.S.A.(r) will last through your busy day - up to
10 hours!

While some hearing devices can cost hundreds or even thousands
of dollars, the Stealth S.S.A.(r) is a remarkable value. Say
goodbye to the strain and struggle of muffled sounds and say
hello to the Stealth S.S.A.(r). Check it out at:
http://pd.gophercentral.com/r/120/a/474/l/a28w43
————————————————————

      Study finds hybrids grow more in daytime

Hybrid plants are growing bigger and more vigorously
than their parents because they’re more active during
the day, U.S. researchers reported. University of
Texas-Austin researchers said their study could mean
new methods to increase biomass for biofuels and seed
production for both animal and human consumption, the
researchers said in university news release. Research-
ers said it’s long been known that hybrid plants are
more vigorous than their parents because they have
more biomass and bigger seeds. The same is true for
plants that are polyploid, or having two or more sets
of chromosomes. “Before this discovery, no one really
knew how hybridization and polyploidy led to increased
vigor,” said lead author Jeffrey Chen, D. J. Sibley
Centennial Professor of Plant Molecular Genetics at
the university. “This is certainly not the only mech-
anism behind this phenomenon, but it is a big step
forward.” Chen and his colleagues found the increased
presence of genes involved in photosynthesis and
starch metabolism in hybrids and polyploids was the
key. Compared with their parents, genes in hybrid
plants were expressed at high levels during the day.
With this knowledge, Chen says they can develop geno-
mic and biotechnological tools to develop better hy-
brids and polyploids.

———————————————————–
Portable Auto Vac by AutoTrends…

Retail Price: $19.99
DEAL PRICE: $9.99

Keep your vehicle looking its best with the Auto Trends 12V
hand-held portable auto vac. Powerful yet lightweight, this
handy vacuum plugs directly into your car’s cigarette lighter
socket for charge-free operation that’s ready when you are.

Features include an easy twist-off dirt catch that keeps your
hands clean. No messy replacement bags. Two (2) removable
attachment nozzles for cleaning cracks, crevices, and other
hard-to-reach areas. A lengthy 8.5 foot cord gives you the
reach you need.
Visit: http://pd.gophercentral.com/r/120/a/474/l/am8oj1
————————————————————

         Antarctic ice shelf shows new rifts

The Wilkins Ice Shelf is showing new rifts and an ice
bridge holding it to two Antarctic islands is closer
to collapsing, U.S. and European scientists say. The
European Space Agency says the shelf, a floating mass
of ice about half the size of Scotland, is showing new
rifts after losing around 772 square miles of mass so
far this year, CNN reported Saturday. Agency scientists
say the new rifts indicate an ice bridge connecting it
to two Antarctic islands will likely collapse, allowing
the ice shelf to drift into the Southern Ocean. CNN
said the scientists first spotted rifts in the Wilkins
shelf in late February, the end of Antarctic summer. If
it breaks away from the Antarctic peninsula and melts,
it would not cause a rise in sea level because it is
already floating, nor would it block sea lanes, Ted
Scambos, a glaciologist at the National Snow and Ice
Data Center at the University of Colorado in Boulder,
told the broadcaster. The western Antarctic peninsula
where the Wilkins shelf is located has warmed more
than any other place on Earth during the last 50 years,
rising by 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit each decade, CNN
reported.